Surak, the dog

Made, not born

Born not of any special lineage, Surak has forged his own way. Abandoned at a young age, he was found howling in a makeshift kennel on a concrete floor:

Surak fresh off the showroom floor.

Surak started criss-crossing his way through the United States at eight weeks old, mere days after being adopted:

A young pup weary from the journey, he struggles to press on.

The journey was hard, and not all moments ring proud:

Surak succumbs to the tortures of the Miata's package tray.

Before embarking (intended) on the quest to ride, Surak had to learn that his lot was earned and not given:

Humbled and helpless, Surak begins to realize he must grow to achieve glory.

At a mere ten weeks, the young prodigy boarded his first pannier and began countless loops around the neighborhood:

Clipped in and anticipating treats, he braces for his first ride - despite not having thumbs.

Steadily venturing further and faster, he quickly learned to ride and was no longer bound to a window to stick his head out of:

The roles reverse and Surak leads the motorcycle.

Life begins

Unknown to Surak, his training prepared him for a journey back across the country. Tucked into his pannier one summer morning, he began the trek:

Flanked by his watchful guardian, Surak nears the dragon's lair in western North Carolina.

Eventually he outgrew his aluminum bounds, moving to the back of a 1200GS, boxed in by excessive luggage to keep him safe:

Surak begins his hot-weather innoculation, initially leaning on the crutch of a bandana to stay cool.

As his confidence (and size) grew, he began to become one with the motorcycle, shedding his aluminum bounds:

The mountains of Colorado build Surak's character while he guards the donuts, subtly reminiscent of his days on a bicycle.

It was at this point that his boundary began to transform into a throne:

The skeleton frame of his backrest comes at the northern terminus of the North East Backcountry Discovery Route.

Forged and tempered, Surak willingly sheds earthly comforts to keep himself strong:

Beds are meaningless.

Outgrown

Left with no further room to grow, Surak discards his ailing BMW for another three letters:

KTM. Austrian, not German - a bold move given his shepherd roots.

Better, stronger

Like his bike fresh off the showroom, the new setup was not Ready to Race and required a redesign:

A hybrid of strength from metals and composites, has been tested with the weight of the bike on it.

Surak quickly took to the new kennel, adopting it as his new home:

Surak basks in the glow of a new day.

And it's from this perch that Surak travels the world:

Yes, the seat is even heated.